Headphone Amp for a Focal Elear

[Osiryos]

Hi guys,
I have an Elear by Focal and I want some advises to choose a good amp to power it.
(Elear has a 6.35mm Jack and an impedance of 80 Ω)

For now I have a Zen Dac by Ifi and I'm thinking to upgrade this to truly give to my headphone what it deserve.
I'm certainly going to replace my Zen Dac in two steps, first replace the "amp part" by buying a new amp which will be plugged on the Zen for his "DAC part" unless I get some more money to buy an other DAC to finally replace him.
(My computer is plugged to my Zen Dac which is plugged into my loudspeaker's amp, so it's an important feature to get a double RCA output on my new amp to use him as preamp to for my loudspeaker's amp)

For a moment I though I would like to buy a tube amp from Schiit, but some reviews I found here about this brand just convinced me not to do this, but I don't have any idea of what I could buy instead.
I would love a neutral, clear and detailed amp as much as it can be for a maximum of 350-400$.

I'm up to any suggestions you could give to me in order to improve my audio hardware.

(Trying my best not to disgust you with my English, as an honest French music lover)

 

[3125b]

Being French you could buy a Topping L30 and E30 stack at audiophonics.fr
That's probably your best option.
The Elear has a fairly high sensitivity, so it's reasonably easy to drive.
The iFi Zens DAC is passable, but the amp is probably the limiting factor here. It might be bad enough for there to be audible differences at higher listening levels.

 

[Osiryos]

Being French you could buy a Topping L30 and E30 stack at audiophonics.fr
That's probably your best option.
The Elear has a fairly high sensitivity, so it's reasonably easy to drive.
The iFi Zens DAC is passable, but the amp is probably the limiting factor here. It might be bad enough for there to be audible differences at higher listening levels.

Thanks for replying this fast, i'll take a look a those two devices more precisely with some tests/reviews over the internet (I just looked the specs on audiophonics).
Do you think a 100€ amp + a 100€ dac is an effective upgrade of a 150€ dac/amp combo ?

 

[Soniclife]

Is this what you have now?
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ds/ifi-zen-dac-and-headphone-amp-review.9885/

 

[3125b]

Price and performance don't necessarily correlate, even less in audio than pretty much anywhere else.
Just have a look at the reviews:
iFi Zen: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ds/ifi-zen-dac-and-headphone-amp-review.9885/ ( the amp is the troubling part; little output power, rising distortion)
E30: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/topping-e30-dac-review.12119/ (I happen to have that one myself, works well, good useablity, measures good)
L30: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...topping-l30-headphone-amplifier-review.15226/ (very good performance, preamp outputs, mode switch)
They are the same size and design language so they will stack nicely. You will need a short RCA interconnect (about 25cm to avoid clutter) with that.
I think that would make for a worthwhile upgrade. Spending more money on a DAC/amp combo won't really improve it any further. You don't need ridiculous amounts of power and balanced output etc.
So if the stack would work for you in terms of useability and design I'd say go for it and sell your iFi, and the upgrade won't cost you a fortune.

 

[Osiryos]

Is this what you have now?
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ds/ifi-zen-dac-and-headphone-amp-review.9885/

Yes this is what I have as a DAC/Headphone Amp

 

[Matias]

Topping E30+L30 should be enough, or else D90+A90 if you want to upgrade and use balanced headphone cables and XLR interconnects.

 

[KeithPhantom]

Actually, you don't need an amplifier or a DAC (well, yes, you need to process digital to analog if you're using digital audio) at all, they are efficient enough to run from regular equipment assuming it measures well. I run my Clears from the headphone jack of my MacBook Pro and I have a Heresy just next to me that I don't use as often. If their efficiency/sensitivity and impedance are high and low respectively, you do not need as much power as many will think.

 

[Osiryos]

Thanks dudes for your advices, the E30 and L30's performances/usage are what i've been searching for but I want to take the time to be sure and consider all the possibilities.

I noticed that the A50 from the same constructor only cost 15€ more then the L30, is it worth to pute thoose 15 extra bucks to get it or not ?

I've searched for some other, I would love to know your opinion on this:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/schiit-modius-balanced-dac-review.13769/ (I love the fact that it as XLR)

I admit that tube amp something which is tempting to me, is it worth to get a tube amp for a budget of like 350-400€ ?
If i'm not misunderstanding this is more for the high impedance headphone ? Should I give it a try with my Elear ?

 

[Osiryos]

Actually, you don't need an amplifier or a DAC (well, yes, you need to process digital to analog if you're using digital audio) at all, they are efficient enough to run from regular equipment assuming it measures well. I run my Clears from the headphone jack of my MacBook Pro and I have a Heresy just next to me that I don't use as often. If their efficiency/sensitivity and impedance are high and low respectively, you do not need as much power as many will think.

I usually bypass the windows audio with Foobar to directly go into my DAC so it's not a good thing to plug my headphone to my computer (and i don't have a 6.35mm to 3.5mm jack adaptor)

 

[Soniclife]

I admit that tube amp something which is tempting to me, is it worth to get a tube amp for a budget of like 350-400€ ?
If i'm not misunderstanding this is more for the high impedance headphone ? Should I give it a try with my Elear ?

The Elear does not have a flat impedance, so a tube amp might change their frequency response. A tube amp is going to have more noise and distortion than the E30/L30 combo.

 

[Soniclife]

Yes this is what I have as a DAC/Headphone Amp

Do you notice any of the potential problems Amir calls out in the review?

 

[KeithPhantom]

I usually bypass the windows audio with Foobar to directly go into my DAC so it's not a good thing to plug my headphone to my computer (and i don't have a 6.35mm to 3.5mm jack adaptor)

Well, in Windows I used to use my DAC/AMP combo more using WASAPI. I didn't use the headphone jack that came with that computer because it was extremely noisy, so noisy that you could hear hiss. Now, with the MacBook, it is dead silent and I don't see a single reason to use my amplifier unless I'm in the mood to use it.

 

[KeithPhantom]

The Elear does not have a flat impedance, so a tube amp might change their frequency response. A tube amp is going to have more noise and distortion than the E30/L30 combo.

OP has to be careful in regard to this, you could end up with a bassy and boomy headphone if the damping factor isn't large enough.

 

[Jimbob54]

Actually, you don't need an amplifier or a DAC (well, yes, you need to process digital to analog if you're using digital audio) at all, they are efficient enough to run from regular equipment assuming it measures well. I run my Clears from the headphone jack of my MacBook Pro and I have a Heresy just next to me that I don't use as often. If their efficiency/sensitivity and impedance are high and low respectively, you do not need as much power as many will think.

I was going to respond too along those lines- I find you need to be careful with amping the Clear- its VERY easy to drive therefore easy to go too loud. The Elear is higher impedance but same sensitivity so maybe a smidge more headroom on the same amp all other things being equal. Thats why I like the 789 and L30 with them- sensible gain settings.

 

[Osiryos]

Do you notice any of the potential problems Amir calls out in the review?

Didn't notice anything, but I only have low impedance headphone (my Elear and a DT770Pro both 80 Ohm) so I don't push the amp more then 11 o'clock (for the old songs that are mixed quite low)
I don't have 4.4mm symmetric jack neither so didn't have the opportunity to try this feature.

 

[Jimbob54]

Didn't notice anything, but I only have low impedance headphone (my Elear and a DT770Pro both 80 Ohm) so I don't push the amp more then 11 o'clock (for the old songs that are mixed quite low)
I don't have 4.4mm symmetric jack neither so didn't have the opportunity to try this feature.

If I were you, I would get the L30 from a source that will accept no questions returns. I suspect if you tried to match the volume levels between the zen and L30 , you wont tell much if any difference. You can then take the decision whether any perceived "improvement" is worth the money or simply return.

 

[Soniclife]

Didn't notice anything, but I only have low impedance headphone (my Elear and a DT770Pro both 80 Ohm) so I don't push the amp more then 11 o'clock (for the old songs that are mixed quite low)

If you are keeping the volume low as you say then I would set your expectations to very minimal improvements from much better components.

 

[Osiryos]

If I were you, I would get the L30 from a source that will accept no questions returns. I suspect if you tried to match the volume levels between the zen and L30 , you wont tell much if any difference. You can then take the decision whether any perceived "improvement" is worth the money or simply return.

Seems to be a good advice, but I'll need to use the DAC part of the Zen DAC as my audio controller so I'm affraid not to get the pure sound of the L30 as long as my signal is passing through the Zen :/

 

[Osiryos]

So the fact that i'm not pushing the amp might be a "no need to upgrade my hardware" case ?